Pott Shrigley CofE Primary School

Pott Shrigley CofE Primary School

Address: Shrigley Road, Pott Shrigley, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 5RT Unique reference number (URN): 111462

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture of safeguarding that adequately protects pupils from harm.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have not taken suitable steps to ensure that pupils who are attending alternative provision are safe. This includes pupils with an education, health and care plan. Leaders do not maintain oversight of the provision for these pupils or their attendance, nor have they assured themselves that staff working with these pupils have had the appropriate safer recruitment checks. At times, leaders are not sufficiently clear where some of the pupils attending alternative provision are, or what provision is in place for them.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have not ensured that the single central record is maintained in line with statutory requirements. For example, some checks on the suitability of staff were not recorded at the time of the inspection. Additionally, the school has not ensured that there is a system in place to record any low-level concerns about staff or adults at the school, should they arise.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.2

This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Achievement Needs attention

Published data shows that, in recent years, pupils have attained in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. However, following a period of considerable staff turbulence, this positive picture is not fully reflected in the achievement of those pupils currently in the school. In mathematics, pupils often have considerable gaps in their knowledge. For example, pupils’ performance in the Year 4 multiplication tables check is consistently below the national average. This hinders their ability to progress smoothly through the curriculum. Typically, pupils do not write legibly or with fluency. This hampers their ability to read their work and make gains in knowledge in other subjects. In contrast, pupils develop the phonics knowledge that they need to read with accuracy and increasing fluency.

p.2

Achievement Needs attention

Some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not progress well through the curriculum. This means that they are not prepared well enough for the next stage of their education.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders do not have effective systems in place to evaluate the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the school. As a result, they do not have an accurate understanding of the school’s educational provision and do not act quickly enough to bring about the improvements that are needed.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders and staff have developed a curriculum designed to build on pupils’ knowledge over time. However, leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is taught well. In many subjects, teachers do not check what pupils know or understand effectively enough. This means that often, the activities that teachers design do not help pupils to overcome the gaps in their knowledge. In contrast, teachers' checks on pupils’ phonics knowledge are more secure. This helps teachers to typically identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and teach phonics consistently well.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders do not provide staff with sufficient guidance on the teaching of handwriting. As a result, the teaching of writing does not consistently provide pupils with the skills that they need to write fluently.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teachers do not ensure that the experiences of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are adequately informed by their education, health and care plans. This means that some pupils with SEND do not receive support in lessons that is matched well to their needs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have designed a well-organised and suitably ambitious curriculum to support pupils’ personal development. However, not all pupils benefit from this provision. This is because leaders have not considered well enough how pupils who are absent from school or attending alternative provision can participate in the school’s offer. In addition, the school’s pastoral support has not had the intended positive impact on supporting pupils to overcome barriers, such as poor attendance. As a result, some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, do not have the opportunity to develop important knowledge or to broaden their experiences as well as they should.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils learn about friendships and understand the place of consent within healthy relationships. They understand how their bodies change as they get older. Teachers ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe when online and in the local

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Urgent improvement

community. For example, visitors to school help pupils develop an awareness of the dangers associated with open water and railways. Pupils learn about road safety and how to keep themselves safe in the countryside that surrounds their school. Pupils understand the importance of caring for the environment.

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Urgent improvement

Pupils learn about fundamental British values, such as democracy and tolerance. They understand the contribution that important historic figures, such as Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela, have made towards achieving equality. This means that pupils are able to speak maturely about issues such as discrimination.

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Urgent improvement

Leaders provide a range of suitable opportunities that extend beyond the curriculum and develop pupils’ confidence. For example, some pupils take part in a public speaking competition or perform in church and a local care home. Some pupils attend a range of clubs where they try new sports and learn about healthy lifestyles, such as the importance of sleep and maintaining positive mental health.

p.4

Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Leaders’ oversight of attendance is ineffective. They do not pay close attention to the attendance of pupils and do not routinely identify and act when absence is a concern. Leaders know that attendance registers are sometimes completed inaccurately, including for pupils in alternative provision. However, they do not take appropriate action to address these weaknesses. Consequently, leaders do not have an accurate understanding of patterns of attendance over time.

p.4

Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Although leaders' actions have improved the attendance rates for some individual pupils, this has not had a positive impact on overall attendance rates. They are consistently below the national average for all groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.4

Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. They establish rules and routines that are well understood and consistently followed by pupils. Pupils generally behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. They move around the building sensibly and behave well in outdoor lessons such as physical education. Any incidents of derogatory language or bullying are dealt with swiftly by staff.

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Staff build positive relationships with pupils. Staff skilfully support some pupils to manage their emotions when they need it. This contributes to a safe and calm environment across the school.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do not fulfil their statutory duties for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They do not identify the needs of some pupils accurately nor do they have a secure understanding of pupils' needs as set out in their education, health and care plans. Leaders do not designate a teacher to be responsible for coordinating SEND provision in school. They do not ensure that staff have the accurate information that they need to meet pupils’ needs effectively. This means that pupils who face barriers to learning do not receive the help that they need to thrive and succeed.

p.4

Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do not understand the challenges faced by pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding. They do not ensure that additional funding is used well enough to reduce pupils' barriers to learning or wellbeing. Furthermore, leaders do not evaluate the impact of their use of the pupil premium funding. Consequently, leaders and governors do not know what is working well and what is having less impact.

p.5

Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do not take responsibility for the education and welfare of pupils who attend alternative provision. Leaders do not review the appropriateness of this provision to ensure that it closely matches the needs of each pupil. In addition, leaders do not maintain oversight of pupils' progress. Consequently, they do not take timely action to refine or change provision when needed. For these reasons, they do not ensure that alternative provision is used in the best interests of pupils.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. This means that they do not prioritise the right issues and do not take suitable action to bring about improvement. Recent turbulence in staffing has contributed to leaders' limited capacity to tackle the endemic weaknesses that exist in many areas of the school.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Governors lack the knowledge that they need to fulfil their statutory core functions. Governors do not know how resources, including the pupil premium funding, are deployed. They have limited understanding of the quality of the school’s work. As a result, governors do not hold leaders to account. They do not provide the support and challenge that is needed to bring about positive change.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders take account of staff's workload. For example, leaders provide additional time for teachers to complete important work. However, leaders do not do enough to consider the wellbeing of staff during times of considerable change.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders ensure that in some areas, staff benefit from ongoing support to develop their practice. Staff use these opportunities to work together, share good practice and apply this learning to their own teaching. For example, some staff access national qualifications to develop their expertise. However, leaders do not consistently provide teachers with the support and guidance that they need to fulfil all of their roles effectively.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders and governors develop constructive relationships with parents and carers. They support the organisation of community events and ensure that pupils have the opportunity to participate in these activities. This helps pupils develop a strong sense of belonging to their school and local community.

p.5

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel safe. However, leaders do not do all that they should to ensure that pupils are kept as safe as possible. Many pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. Some pupils attend alternative provision even though leaders have not assured themselves that the provision is suitable.

p.6

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils who attend school are keen to engage in learning. However, they do not learn the skills they need to write legibly and many struggle to read their work. In some subjects, pupils have considerable gaps in their knowledge. Staff do not identify what pupils know and understand well enough. As a result, pupils are not well prepared for the next stage in their education.

p.6

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not supported well enough. Their needs are not identified well enough. These pupils struggle to overcome the barriers they encounter. This means that they do not make the progress that they should from their starting points.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are greeted warmly each morning and settle quickly into the routines of the day. Most pupils enjoy positive and respectful relationships with staff and generally behave well. They socialise and play well in mixed-age groups. Issues or concerns, such as bullying, are dealt with quickly and effectively.

p.6

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Many pupils take part in a wide range of activities that broaden their experiences beyond the classroom. For example, pupils benefit from visits to museums and local places of interest to find out more about what they have learned in lessons. Pupils enjoy developing their talents and interests through sporting events such as cricket and football or learning to play a musical instrument.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Most pupils are keen to get involved in all aspects of school life. For example, pupils learn how to represent their classmates on the school council and as eco-ambassadors. They learn how to join in and work together and are eager to support events such as the talent show and litter-picking in the local community.

p.6

Next steps

Leaders, including governors, must ensure that they rapidly improve their oversight of safeguarding, so that all pupils, and especially those who are absent or attend alternative provision, are safe and secure. Those responsible for governance must develop their knowledge and expertise so that they are able to offer informed support and challenge to leaders about all aspects of the school's work. Leaders must ensure that they identify the needs of pupils with barriers to learning, including the needs of those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, accurately and then make sure that these pupils receive the support that they need to succeed. Leaders must ensure that their evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for development is accurate and they take the actions that are needed to improve pupils' education and wellbeing. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, must ensure that the pupil premium

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Next steps

funding is used effectively to help disadvantaged pupils overcome the challenges they face. Leaders must ensure that attendance information is accurate and used effectively to identify the causes of poor attendance so that they can intervene early and reduce the barriers that prevent some pupils from attending school regularly. Leaders must ensure that their checks on alternative provision consistently evaluate the quality of education and welfare that pupils experience, so that placements are commissioned in pupils' best interests. Leaders should ensure that teaching helps pupils to secure the handwriting skills that they need to write fluently and legibly across the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to make well- informed decisions about the what knowledge and skills pupils are ready to learn next, so that they progress through the curriculum and achieve well.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the programme to support pupils' personal development and wellbeing is taught consistently well so that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those who miss school, learn all that they should in readiness for their next stage of development.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Steve Booth.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

This inspection took place from 30 June to 1 July 2026.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher and other senior leaders, governors, staff and pupils in the school during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with parents and carers at the start of the school day.

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About this inspection

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

p.7

About this inspection

The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspections we carry out.

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

p.8

Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 30 June 2026

p.8

What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

p.8

42

Well below average The school has a small number of children who attend early years provision. Due to the small numbers, this provision is not reported on separately. Inspectors gathered evidence about the experiences and outcomes of these pupils, and this evidence is included in the inspection findings above.

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42

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Chester. Its last section 48 inspection was in July 2024.

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42

The school currently makes use of 3 alternative provisions, including 2 that are unregistered.

p.8

What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

p.9

What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

p.9

What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

p.9

What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

p.9

What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

p.10

What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

p.10

Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

p.13

Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

p.13

mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

p.13

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

p.14

Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

p.15

average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

p.15

Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

p.15

Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

p.16

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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